Captive Reverie
by Absynthess
Summary: Just after the battle with Rido Kuran, Ruka and Akatsuki return to the Moon Dorm. When a series of events traps them together for twenty-four hours, they discover more about one another than they intended. Ruka-x-Akatsuki. Flashbacks within modern time.
1. Chapter 1 : Heartwrenching Looks

**Disclaimer: **_I own none of the characters in this story and make no claims to them. The world I'm writing in, and the people that inhabit it, belong to Matsuri Hino. This story is strictly for entertainment, not for profit—no copyright infringement was intended. _

Chapter One: Heart-wrenching Looks

_His body was hot, pressing down on hers with an urgency she had never felt from him before. She could feel the steady beat of his heart against her chest, the strength of his hands as one cradled her neck and the other held her wrist in a vice-like grip. She was prepared for the pain, and yet the sharp jab that went through her as his fangs pierced her neck was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Suddenly, it hit her—there was a difference, this time; this time, she _wanted _him. _

_That thought caused enough of a jolt that she pushed back on his chest with both of her hands, giving her just enough leverage to squirm away from him. Her heart was beating very fast, now, and she rushed to the opposite corner of the elevator, her dusky hair streaming out behind her. It was comical, really; no matter how far she edged away, in this small little box, she'd never be a foot or two away from him. _

_The collar of her coat had been ripped open, revealing her pale, swan-like neck. Two indents, shallow even to her own measure, allowed her thick blood to stream over her magnolia-petal skin. Her pale eyes roamed the room wildly, trying to look anywhere but at the wild, unchained look in his. _

_Why…?—But it was impossible to ask that question, now. Things were too far gone. She had let her guard down, and this was the price she had paid for it. But then, why? Why was she remembering the way his smile, when he looked at her, became so gentle? The unassuming, unconcerned way that he spoke to her? And, most of all, the feel of his hands against her skin, the touch of his lips against her neck? _

_Stop, stop, stop. She couldn't think like that. It was impossible…she couldn't do it. And yet, somehow, she felt as though she was about to weep. Gradually, painfully, she raised her gaze to look into his amber eyes. The look she found in them almost shattered her self-control. _

_His reddish-gold hair was more mussed than normal, and her own blood was on his lips. His fangs were still dyed the crimson color of her. But his eyes…his eyes! She had never meant to make him look like that._

"_Ruka…" his voice trailed off, and a single tear escaped her and tumbled down her cheek. "I'm so sorry…" _

_No. Don't be sorry. Wasn't it her fault? Hadn't she led him to this? So why was he sorry? Why was he giving her that look that was about to break her heart? _

_

* * *

_

**A/N: **_I hope you enjoyed the prologue to my first Ruka—x—Akatsuki fanfic, "Captive Reverie." These two are by far my favorite VK pairing, so I really hope to do them justice. This chapter is in a different style than the rest of the story, which will switch to a more distant third-person point of view. The next chapter will take the story back twenty-four hours to trace how we got to this point. I hope you stick with me, and enjoy it! As always, comments, critiques, questions, and any other type of feedback are always greatly appreciated. _


	2. Chapter 2 : Tremors

**Disclaimer: **I own none of the characters in this story and make no claims to them. The world I'm writing in, and the people that inhabit it, belong to Matsuri Hino. This story is strictly for entertainment, not for profit—no copyright infringement was intended.

Chapter Two: Tremors

If he really thought about, Akatsuki would have come to the conclusion that he had always loved Ruka Souen. It had not been a conscious decision, on his part; somewhere down the line he had simply realized that any time spent with her, hearing her voice, seeing her face, made him inexplicably happy. He had accepted his love better than he had thought he would; it seemed only normal to him, like gaining another few centimeters of height. He grew into his love for her the same way he grew into new clothes.

"I feel like, I could be content if Kaname-sama could consider the three of us his close friends. That would be enough for me." Her voice was soft, and somewhat nostalgic. Akatsuki glanced at her for a moment, wondering if that distant look in her pale eyes really meant that she had given up her feelings for the Dorm President.

"Well, there's only one thing to do, then," Hanabusa said high-handedly, rising to his feet. Ruka cocked her head to one side and gave him a questioning look. Hanabusa rolled his eyes in response and said, as though it were obvious, "We have to go after him."

"I suppose you're right," Ruka replied, a thoughtful look creeping into her eyes.

When had those deep emotions risen up in her? Akatsuki wondered—when had she begun to change from the haughty, assured little girl she'd been into this…woman? And what was he supposed to do about it? He had told himself that he would remain by her side for the rest of their lives, even if she didn't want him there. But even in the last few days, she had become a person he was entirely unfamiliar with. He didn't dislike this new Ruka, but the fact that he couldn't read her as he always had unsettled him.

"Akatsuki? Akatsuki?" He looked up, startled, to find Ruka gazing pointedly at him. As she leaned over, her long hair fell like a curtain over her shoulders. He caught the slightest fragrance from that movement—lilacs and roses. Shrugging away his thoughts, he turned towards her.

"I'm sorry—what were you saying?"

"Hanabusa and I were just asking if you were coming with us," she said, one eyebrow raised in question.

She still needed to ask? He could not imagine going against her, unless it meant protecting her, and yet she had no idea, did she? Her mind had been so preoccupied with President Kuran for the past few years that, emotionally, she had had room for no one else. He didn't mind it, much. Usually, her single-mindedness was one of the qualities which endeared him to her. But today, his temper felt one step closer to the surface than it usually was. Maybe it was the stress of the past few days, or this new look is Ruka's eyes…whatever it was, he needed to get it under control, and quickly.

"Of course I'm coming," came his reply, in the same calm, unhurried tone he had used with the two of them his entire life. For this sentence, he was rewarded with a soft grin from Ruka.

"That's settled, then," Hanabusa said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Ruka grinned again, and suddenly, it was like they were all five years old, again. Hanabusa making plans, Ruka insisting that they were her ideas, and Akatsuki tagging along because, honestly, what did he have beyond the two of them?

Suddenly, a deep quake shook the floor. Ruka fell against the couch, her hands braced in front of her. Hanabusa toppled backwards into the armchair he'd been sitting in, his feet in the air as his back slammed against the chair. Akatsuki's arm shot out to balance him, and, of the three of them, he was the only one left on his feet when the quake finally subsided.

Hanabusa was the first to regain his footing—and his voice. "What the hell was that?"

"Something shook the building," Ruka replied through grated teeth, getting to her feet and smoothing down her hair. Despite her no-nonsense tone, she looked rattled, wincing as a second, must smaller shock raced through the building. The three of them stood, braced for another tremor, but it didn't come. Finally, Ruka breathed a sigh and ran one hand through her bangs. "Anybody want to guess what might have caused that?"

Hanabusa raced over to a window and looked down. "There's someone down there!"

"I thought we took care of all the Level E's," Ruka responded, irritated. "Are they attacking the building?" She crossed the room to join Hanabusa at the windows, and Akatsuki glanced at the two of them, noses pressed against the glass, suddenly caught by a memory.

"_Look, look, I can see them! Father's home, with your guys' dads!"_

"_Out of the way, Ruka-chan! I want to see, I want to see—!" _

"_Akatsuki, don't you want to look?" _

"Akatsuki, don't you want to look?" Ruka's voice cut through his trance. She edged away from Hanabusa to provide him room at the window. "Look—I guess we missed a few. It looks like they're trying to break their way in."

"Shit," the curse escaped his mouth in a whisper, and he wasn't even sure that Hanabusa and Ruka had heard him. He rolled his eyes rather dramatically. When was this battle finally going to end? It seemed as though only two or three vampires were out there, but they couldn't overlook even that small amount. They had to get down there, soon, to rectify the situation. "Let's go."

Hanabusa nodded emphatically, and Ruka inclined her head. The three of them raced down the hallway and towards the stairwells. Ruka was in the lead, her hair streaming out behind her as she took long strides. Hanabusa came next, determinately keeping up with Ruka. And in the last position was Akatsuki, who could have easily outpaced both of them but kept his spot in the rear because that way, he could keep an eye on the two most important people in his life.

They were in a side hallway when the next tremor shook through the floor. It was just as intense as the first had been, and Ruka gave a little cry as she was thrown sideways into a wall. The surface of the wall suddenly caved, and Akatsuki realized with a mix of wonder and horror, that Ruka had just fallen into an open elevator.

"Ruka—" His voice escaped him like a strangled grasp, and he reached out a hand to grab her wrist just before she fell was completely lost inside the elevator. The quake hadn't ceased, yet; the shaking motion was causing the elevator doors to open and slam against Akatsuki's arm, the only thing blocking the doors from closing and enveloping Ruka.

"Akatsuki, Ruka…!" Hanabusa had tumbled some six feet further into the hall at the first shake, and was now bracing himself against the walls, trying to fight against the movement of the quakes to reach them.

The tremor stopped for about a second, and Akatsuki pulled Ruka towards him with one deft motion. Her long, thin fingers gripped his hand desperately, and, just as he was about to pull her to safety, another jolt sent both of them tumbling into the small elevator.

Akatsuki hit the opposite wall with a tremendous _thump_, and a split-second later he felt Ruka's body thrown against his. She gave a small groan, then sat up and tried to rise to her feet. Akatsuki winced against the pain the impact had caused in his head, then turned towards the doors, only to see them slam shut with the last undulation of the quake.

He jumped up and raced towards the doors, trying to pry them open with his bare hands. Then wouldn't budge. He reached across to the control panel, desperately slamming against the button which was engraved with an icon of two arrows facing away from each other. Still, nothing.

"Damn it!" Akatsuki cried, banging against the doors with his fists. "Hanabusa—oi, Hanabusa! Open the doors!"

"I'm trying!" Came his cousin's muffled reply. "They slammed together—I think they're stuck."

Akatsuki felt the temperature of the door drop significantly, then heard a sound like the shattering of glass. Was Hanabusa trying to freeze the door then shatter it? Judging from the sounds, it wasn't working.

"It won't budge," Hanabusa cried in frustration. "Are you two alright?"

Ruka had crossed the small span of the elevator to stand beside Akatsuki. "We're fine," she called authoritatively. "Just go find someone who can fix this door and get us out of here, Hanabusa."

"Don't order me around," Hanabusa replied cuttingly. Then he sighed, seemingly fighting every one of his instincts not to argue with Ruka. "Fine—I'll be right back." Akatsuki could hear his cousin's footsteps getting farther and farther away, until he couldn't hear them at all. Finally, he stepped back from the door and sighed.

"Are you alright, Akatsuki?" Ruka asked softly, tilting her head to one side.

"Huh? Oh, yah. What about you?"

She offered him a dry smile. "I'd be better if I wasn't stuck in an elevator," she remarked ruefully. "But I'm doing fine." She leaned against one wall of the small elevator and lowered herself down so that she was sitting against the wall.

"Well," she said, rolling her eyes. "Since Hanabusa's our last hope, I guess we'll be here awhile."

* * *

**A/N: **_Once again, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter of "Captive Reverie." As it stands now, this story is slated to be at least five to seven chapters, each being about 1,500 words each. Please tell me if you have any comments, critiques, or questions! Thank you for taking the time to read this!_


	3. Chapter 3 : Boiling Points

**Disclaimer: **I own none of the characters in this story and make no claims to them. The world I'm writing in, and the people that inhabit it, belong to Matsuri Hino. This story is strictly for entertainment, not for profit—no copyright infringement was intended.

Chapter Three: Boiling Points

Ruka Souen had always been somewhat indifferent to the people in her life. She did not tend to think about how her actions affected others; rather, her emotions revolved around the way people's reactions affected _her_. When she had been a child, this system had worked out rather well—after all, at that time, the entirety of the Souen household had gravitated towards her. But when, for the first time, she'd been thrust into the real world, it had come as a shocking realization that there were people whose lives would never be affected by her—people utterly indifferent to her.

She knew, now, that that was why she had needed Kaname-sama. He was someone who _did_ touch everyone around him. No single person could be unmoved by his presence. Faced with such a life, she had no choice but to make him the center of her world…he had become her sun. Without him, the light was gone from the world. If she faced him too directly, she risked being burned and blinded. His existence was pure, and rare, and perfect. And there was no place for her with him, now.

"That's the problem with being trapped in an elevator," she hissed in annoyance. "There's too much time to think." Ruka was seated with her back against one of the cushioned walls of the elevator, her hair spread out over her shoulders in a multitude of loose, elegant coils. Her knees were braced against her chest; her fingers were steepled as she placed them atop her knees. She glanced down at her perfect, shell-tinged nails and grimaced.

Are there levels of perfection? There had to be, didn't there? Because she had been told since she was born that she, Ruka Souen, was perfect. And yet, faced with Kaname-sama…she was nothing. How could both of them be perfect, to two different perceptions?

Akatsuki hadn't answered when she'd spoken; he probably hadn't even heard her. He was standing up, one of his hands braced against the confounded, stuck doors. He hadn't spoken much for the half-hour that the two of them had been stuck together, and, though she was used to silence from him, the eerie quiet of the elevator was starting to unnerve Ruka.

"What're you thinking about?" she asked in a louder voice, glancing pointedly at him. If he wasn't going to volunteer a conversation, she'd force one out of him. It was that simple.

Akatsuki shrugged. "How do you think those Level E's escaped our notice?" His voice was slow and calm, as it always was, and Ruka found herself wondering how he _always_managed to keep his emotions reigned in. She had never seen him so much as shed a tear, or scream in fright…and she had thought that she had known him forever. How could she really know him if she never knew what he was thinking?

"It's not as if we didn't have a million other things to take care of," Ruka remarked dryly. "Maybe these ones actually had a fraction of a brain between them, unlike the others, and were smart enough to lay low during the battle?"

In response, he shook his head slowly and turned around to face her. Since she was seated and he was standing, the disparity in their heights was even more obvious that usual. He simply towered over her, and his broad shoulders gave him such a large appearance that she felt positively dwarfed by him.

"I don't think so," he said slowly, as though he was mulling it over. "It's impossible that we missed three vampires…" his voice trailed off, as Ruka assumed his thoughts had. Well, so much for striking up a conversation. When had it gotten so hard to talk to Akatsuki? He used to tell her _everything_. It was as if they had shared a brain. And yet, now…

"I guess nothing escapes change," Ruka murmured somewhat wistfully. Until that moment, she hadn't really thought about how much she missed her childhood. Before she felt the need to suddenly be a proud, dignified woman…before her mother had impressed upon her that any woman of propriety didn't count _males _amongst her "best friends"…before she had met Kaname-sama, and her entire life had changed.

"What d'you mean by that?" Akatsuki's voice was even more subdued that Ruka had been, and she wondered, as she often did, how much he was ever paying attention when he talked to her. Was his mind always on something else when he spoke to her, or was she just imagining that distracted tone in his voice?

"I don't know…don't you remember, that one day when we were little, and you, me and Hanabusa were stuck inside my drawing room for at least six hours? Mother wouldn't let us leave because she was afraid we'd wreck the house before that soiree…and yet, somehow, the time went by really fast, didn't it?"

A small, sly grin flashed over the contours of Akatsuki's face. "You mean the day that Hanabusa found that old bottle?"

Ruka immediately felt her face grow hot. Damn—she'd forgotten about _that_ part of the evening. So much for a casual stroll down memory lane. "I wasn't suggesting that we pass our time like that again, alright?" she retorted hotly. "Anyhow, I pretty much one that game, don't you think?"

"If that's how you remember it, I won't be the one to ruin your childhood memories, Ruka," he replied slyly. It would have been so easy to slap that look off of his face, Ruka thought with venom, but she wasn't going to get mad. Not when she had to spend who knew how long with him in the stupid elevator.

"I remember it that way because that's what happened," she responded primly. "At any rate, Hanabusa definitely lost." Why was she encouraging this conversation? It would be better—and considerably less awkward—for both of them if it ended _now_.

"When is going to get back, anyway?" She demanded, irritated now. "Honestly, you can't trust him for anything!"

Akatsuki shrugged. Sometimes it irked Ruka how he would never say a word against his cousin…and then she remembered that he hardly said a word against _her_, either. What, was she no different to Akatsuki than _Hanabusa_? And even if she was, why should she care? The three of them were childhood friends…they had a simple relationship.

"I'm going crazy, aren't I?" She groaned and threw her head against the wall, where the cushioning robbed her of the tremendous _slam _that she desired. Akatsuki gave her a questioning look, but she simply sighed and buried her face in her hands. "We need to get out of here." She continued flatly, her voice tinted with poison.

"It's only been forty minutes," he told her, glancing at his wristwatch. "It might have taken Hanabusa some time to find someone, given the circumstances."

_Damn the circumstances_. She had been determined, after speaking to Kaname-sama, to be happy and strong and someone reliable. She wasn't living up to any of that now, was she? She was falling apart. She hadn't had any time to rest, to think, since everything had happened…and now, being here, trapped with Akatsuki…it felt like every emotion she'd made herself suppress for her entire life was boiling to the surface. She felt sick.

"Why can't you just, I don't know, melt the damn door?" she demanded suddenly. Akatsuki quirked an eyebrow at her in disbelief. "What…?"

"If I unleash any heat on that door, it'll probably just melt together. We'd be _more _stuck, not less."

Now, in addition to feeling sick, pathetic, and lonely, she felt stupid. It was just turning out to be a wonderful night, wasn't it? And Akatsuki…he wasn't making things better, was he? He was just standing there, with that infuriatingly calm expression on his face.

"Why don't you ever _feel_ anything?!" she cried suddenly, her voice crackling with the strain she placed on it. She was so frustrated with him. He didn't even _care_, did he? He could be stuck in the blasted elevator for the rest of his life, and even that wouldn't get a reaction out of him!

It had taken Ruka Souen three minutes and twenty-sevens seconds less than an hour to pass the threshold into desperation. It would take Akatsuki Kain decidedly longer to achieve the same.

* * *

**A/N: **_This chapter is decidedly denser than the previous one—mostly because it focuses on Ruka as opposed to Akatsuki. Whenever I observe these two, I'm struck by the fact that Ruka is so emotional and Akatsuki is…not. So I tried to capture that same feeling, here. Next up: a flashback chapter—what happened that night with the bottle, and why is Ruka's victory not as certain as she'd like to believe? I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will continue to read "Captive Reverie." _


	4. Chapter 4 : Fun and Games

**Disclaimer: **I own none of the characters in this story and make no claims to them. The world I'm writing in, and the people that inhabit it, belong to Matsuri Hino. This story is strictly for entertainment, not for profit—no copyright infringement was intended.

Chapter Four: Fun and Games

_Ten Years Earlier…_

Ruka Souen was six years old, four feet tall, and utterly convinced of her place at the center of the universe. Her smiles were the most effective bargaining tools ever devised, and a single word from her could seemingly move mountains. Anything she wanted, she could get—as long as she asked the right way. Nothing was denied her. At this particular moment, the center of the universe was seated primly on a plushy white couch in her family's drawing room, her short legs swinging in a rhythmic pattern as she periodically fluffed her hair and glanced at the clock.

"Are they here yet, Suzu?" Her voice, high-pitched like the sound of bells, was calm and authoritative as she asked the question, but anyone who really knew her would have recognized the irritated, impatient expression on Ruka's young face.

"Not yet, Ruka-sama," the maid answered from across the room, where she was surreptitiously dusting the silver-and-glass coffee table. She shifted to the other side of the table and brushed her thick brown bangs away from her eyes. "Be assured that you will be informed as soon as they arrive."

Ruka crossed her arms over her chest and grimaced. "I'd better," she muttered to herself. Despite her sour expression, she actually appeared fairly angelic at the moment. The pale blue party dress she was wearing was edged in a large, square collar of white lace, which matched the edging on her socks. Her pale, milky skin set off the pale colors beautifully, and her corona of fluffy, dusky-rose hair only completed the picture of beauty and innocence. If she just learned to smile more, Ruka would have been the definition of grace, even at six years old.

"You _said_ they'd be here at seven," she wailed. "It's already seven-ten. Were you _lying_ to me, Suzu, or is everyone around here just stupid?"

The maid, a level C vampire herself, knew better than to give into her young mistress's taunts. She merely inclined her thread deferentially and proceeded to finish her dusting. Assured that the room was entirely clean, she rose to her feet, and, with a small half-bow in Ruka's direction, left the room. Ruka's frown deepened, her soft, rose-bud mouth contorting with her ill humor.

It wasn't _her_ fault that she wasn't allowed to attend Mother's soirees yet, was it? And in order to make it up to her, her stupid cousins Hanabusa and Akatsuki were going to play with her while the party was going on. So how was it that they _weren't there yet_?

As it turned out, she only had about another five minutes to wait. Still, that time seemed like an eternity to Ruka. It wasn't that she _wanted _to see Akatsuki and Hanabusa…it was just that the two of them were really better than nothing. If she was going to be bored to tears all night, those two might as well suffer with her. When they finally walked in, Ruka released the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding in.

As always, a spark of lightning passed between Ruka and Hanabusa as the prodigy-heir to the Aidou family entered the room. And, as always, Hanabusa was dressed to the nines—his pale suit was perfectly pressed and ironed, his bowtie was straighter than a ruler, and his cloud of fluffy blonde hair was combed back neatly. She really didn't know what it was about Hanabusa that set the two of them to fighting every time they saw one another—maybe it was that more-than-ridiculous notion that Ruka's mother had once brought up: that an alliance between the Aidou and Souen families would be heavily favored by both sides. _That _though made her throw up in her mouth a little.

"Hey, Ruka," Akatsuki was the one to speak first, which, in and of itself, was an anomaly. There was always something…off…about the heir to the Kain family. His hair was messed up, or his buttons were undone, and his shirt never stayed ironed for more than three minutes. It didn't make him look messy, exactly, but Ruka had to wonder whether he did on purpose, to make himself look cooler. She hadn't decided whether it was working or not.

"Hello Akatsuki, Hanabusa," Ruka nodded at each of them in turn, surveying her playmates with a critical eye. Hanabusa gave her a quick, unwilling sort of wave that Ruka chose to interpret as a greeting. She fluffed her hair and sucked in her breath. "So. What are we going to do?"

As always, the unimaginative Akatsuki just shrugged. Did he _ever_ have any ideas?—Ruka wondered—or did he just wait around for Hanabusa to make everything up? His shorter, blonder cousin once again came to the rescue.

"We-ell," Hanabusa grinned impishly, elongating each syllable, "I thought of something for us to do, but I don't know if a prude like you'd be up for it, _Ruka-chan_."

Prude? _Prude?_ Who did Hanabusa Aidou think he was, a king? And how _dare_ he address her so informally? Clearly, the stuck-up little genius needed to be knocked down a few pegs. Who better to that than Ruka?

"Whatever it is, we'll play that," Ruka's words toppled out of her mouth before she could stop them. There was a hint of steel in her backbone that made it impossible for her to back down from a challenge. Hanabusa was evidently pleased with this latest development, because his eyes grew glassy with satisfaction and his grin got a whole lot wider.

"It's a human game," he warned, "and I don't think that Aunt Kana would exactly _approve_."

"Grandmother will get over it," Ruka spat through gritted teeth. "And anyway, how would she even find out?" Despite her confident bickering with Hanabusa, she was half-apprehensive, half-excited about this game. Usually, human children's games were considered to base for Ruka to bother herself with. She was supposed to be "above" some things. Still, being a noble vampire sometimes got…not boring, exactly, but tiresome. Sometimes she just wanted to do something for fun.

"Well, if you're sure," Hanabusa said. Akatsuki hadn't said much, yet; he had gone and sat down on one of the Souens' plush white couches, his hands in his pockets. His head went back and forth between Hanabusa and Ruka like a spectator watching a tennis match. He had the same glazed expression as one of those spectators, too: not actively interested, but keeping an eye on things in case something exciting happened.

"I'm sure." Ruka affirmed. "So, what _is _it?"

"Hold on, hold on—" Hanabusa interrupted. "First, we need a bottle."

"A _bottle_?" Nothing came to mind when Ruka wracked her brain for "games involving bottles," but Hanabusa _was_ a genius, even if he was a cocky one. So she had to trust him, for now.

It took about five minutes of perusing the spacious living room before they found one. It was Akatsuki who managed it, melting the lock on the liquor cabinet and extracting a mostly-empty bottle which had once been full of the artificial blood of blood tablets. It was a deep crimson color, and somewhat translucent, so that when they passed it over the lamps it dyed the light in the room an eerie, warm red. It felt strangely adult for an inanimate object; just grasping the long stem of the bottle made Ruka feel like they were doing something forbidden.

A minute later, the three of them were sitting cross-legged on the floor, the bottle on its side at the center of the circle. Ruka sat between Hanabusa and Akatsuki, waiting expectantly for Hanabusa's next instructions.

"Okay, first, one of us spins the bottle," Hanabusa said in a strict, authoritative voice. Akatsuki nodded wordlessly, while Ruka made a skeptical face. This was supposed to be fun _how_, exactly? Hanabusa took no heed of her expression and continued on. "Anyway, whoever the bottle points to, the person who spun the bottle has to kiss them!" He giggled delightedly, and clapped his hands.

Akatsuki suddenly looked very angry, and Ruka's jaw dropped nearly to the floor. To their child-like perceptions, the game was utterly scandalous. Neither of them thought it through enough to realize that, with only two boys and one girl, there was really only a couple of outcomes possible in this game—and one of them would be incredibly awkward for the two young boys. Yet, neither Ruka nor Akatsuki raised any objections. They had agreed to play this game, and play they would.

"Akatsuki's going first!" Hanabusa declared. The devilish glint had not yet left his eye, and Ruka was beginning to get suspicious. Had she been tricked, here? Games and challenges were all well and good, but…_kissing_? She didn't know anything about that.

"Fine," Akatsuki grumbled. He clutched the bottle's base in one hand and gaze it as hard of a spin as he could muster. The bottle immediately began to rotate, twirling like a ballerina en point for one painstaking minute. Ruka, Hanabusa, and Akatsuki held their breath, waiting. Eventually, the bottle's motion began to slow. It was pointing at…Hanabusa?!...no, wait, it was still going…now it was back at Akatsuki…how was he going to kiss himself?...nope, still spinning, still going…now it stopped…right in front of Ruka Souen.

* * *

**A/N: **_I apologize profusely for the long wait for this chapter! I have been working on it, but it took me awhile to decide the overall structure for this chapter. Basically, things will go like this for the rest of this story: Akatsuki Chapter, Ruka Chapter, Flashback Chapter. Probably right around the time this story winds up in flashbacks, the main story will finish. So "Spin the Bottle" is not yet closed off! Thanks for reading my stories, and, as always, feedback = love. Hope you're enjoying it! _


	5. Chapter 5 : Blood Calls to Blood

**Disclaimer: **_I own none of the characters in this story and make no claims to them. The world I'm writing in, and the people that inhabit it, belong to Matsuri Hino. This story is strictly for entertainment, not for profit—no copyright infringement was intended. _

_

* * *

  
_

Chapter Five: Blood Calls to Blood

So, he didn't feel anything, did he? Akatsuki wasn't sure whether he wanted to laugh or cry. It seemed that, for the past decade, he done nothing but look out for Ruka. He had known that his only feelings for her would never be accepted, so he'd swallowed them and stayed by her side, offering her what support he could. Now, he was supposed to realize that none of that meant _anything _to her? That she had never taken any stock of his emotions, at all?

"_Well_?" Ruka demanded, her voice crackling like lightning. He knew that she had never been a patient person, but, honestly, it had been less than an _hour_. Was her anxiety so high that she couldn't sit still for that long? And if it was, was he missing something vital in adding to her discomfort?

Akatsuki heaved a great sigh and ran his hands through his hair, pushing back the spiky red-blonde strands in a calming gesture. Finally, he stopped, tucking his hands in his pockets and gazing back at Ruka.

"It's not so bad," he offered lamely. "I mean, at least we're not being attacked by Level E's anymore, right?"

Ruka looked at him as if he'd grown a second head. Her dusky eyes widened in disbelief for a moment before narrowing dangerously in temper. Akatsuki realized his mistake a moment too late—clearly, the last thing Ruka was interested in at this moment was a logical conversation.

"'It's not so bad'?" she repeated in a hushed, furious tone. "_It's not so bad_? Akatsuki, we're _trapped in an elevator_. The world outside us is _ending_, and we have no idea where Kaname-sama went. How the hell is that _not that bad_?"

Ruka hadn't spoken this much to him in weeks—months, even. They hadn't really had that many proper conversations, lately. Usually, it was enough for him to just be in close proximity to her; to see her expressions, the light in her eyes—sometimes caused by happiness, more often by fury—it was enough, he had decided long ago. So, now, even though she was angry at him, Akatsuki couldn't help but feel deliriously happy. After all, she was paying attention to him.

"Hanabusa will come back." Akatsuki shrugged. At least, he _thought_ than Hanabusa would comeback. His genius cousin had been known to disappear at the most inconvenient moments before, but Akatsuki liked to believe that the other noble was always around when he was most needed. At least, he had to think that way.

"Then why isn't he back already?" Ruka demanded scathingly. "This entire stupid school is _deserted_, there are enemies everywhere, and _he's_ our last hope? Excuse me if I don't hold up much hope for our rescue."

She brushed past him, heading straight for the closed metal doors. She beat her small fists against them, over and over, as if her strength might force them open.

He stood watching her, for a moment, utterly perplexed. He could not imagine feeling so much—he couldn't fathom how so much emotion came out of such a small person.

"Ruka…" He made his way over to her, grabbed her wrists and forcing her away from the door. "Hey, Ruka, calm down." He had meant his voice to be soothing, but it came out bland—and uninterested.

"Don't touch me!" Ruka snapped, squirming out of his grasp. As she slapped him away, her nails grazed over his cheek. He stepped back from her immediately, unable to refuse an order of hers.

He backed away, aware that she'd cut a small nick in his cheek. He brushed the blood away impatiently as it began to trickle down his face. It was only a drop or two, but Akatsuki ended up raising his hand to his lips and licking away the blood, anyway. There was no point in letting it go to waste.

Ruka was breathing heavily, now—she had worked herself up so much. Akatsuki gazed wearily at her, wondering when her next tirade would approach.

But it didn't. Ruka gazed at him for one long moment, then two. Her pale eyes narrowed dangerously, her eyebrows shooting up in question. Unsure of where that expression was leading them, Akatsuki took another step back.

It was then that he realized that he hadn't lowered his hand after licking the blood off of it. In fact, he realized, he nicked his fingers with his teeth, and hadn't even noticed the steady stream of blood flowing into his mouth, down his throat.

"Akatsuki…" Ruka took a step towards him, a warning tone in her voice.

He hadn't realized it, but the Night Class had been away from the dorm for _days_, now. When was the last time he'd had a chance to cram a few blood pills in his mouth? Thinking back on it, he really couldn't remember.

Usually, he didn't need to drink very often. Nobles had a higher tolerance for thirst than other vampires—it was yet another perk of being near the top of the pyramid. But using his powers was one draw on his strength, and losing blood was another—he hadn't been wounded badly during the battles, but he had been hit several times. He hadn't stopped to think about it…hadn't had the chance to think about _anything_, really, for the past few days. Things had been too hectic.

"_Akatsuki_…" Ruka said his name again, more temper in her voice, now. Was it his imagination, or did she sound calmer than she had a few minutes ago? And what with that look in her eyes?

He took another step back, hitting the wall of the entirely-too-small elevator. Ruka looked at him probingly, a the keen look in her eyes worrying him.

"When was the last time you drank anything, Akatsuki?" she asked with deadly quiet.

* * *

**A/N: **_If you were waiting two months for this chapter, I apologize! I've been writing it in stints, but my schoolwork had to come first! Now that the school year is over, however, expect to see much faster updates to this story and my others. Anyway—we're headed back towards the scene in Chapter One, and I hope you're enjoying this! Thanks so much for my 25+ reviews, I appreciate them so much! And, as always, thanks for reading "Captive Reverie." _


End file.
